Choosing a router for your SMB can be difficult. Here are a few options to consider.
This router has one fixed ethernet LAN port, one fixed ethernet WAN port, and three ports that can be set to LAN or WAN—meaning you can support up to four WAN ports with it. The TP-LINK TL-R470T also has an integrated load balancing feature and is on the low end of the price spectrum at an MSRP of $59.99.
The RV325 is a dual gigabit, WAN VPN router from Cisco. It will run you roughly $284 on Newegg and is fairly easy to set up out of the box.
High configurability and passive PoE support make the Ubiquiti ERPOE-5 EdgeRouter a great choice. Company literature boasts 1 million packets per second routing capabilities. This one will cost you about $170 on Newegg.
The TP-LINK SafeStream TL-ER6020 router comes equipped with two gigabit WAN ports as well as two gigabit LAN ports. It also comes with a host of security features and supports multiple VPN protocols. This router will cost around $110 on Jet.
For businesses on the smaller side that still want some enterprise features, the TRENDnet TW100-S4W1CA is a great option. It’s only $19.99 on Office Depot and gives you one WAN port, four LAN ports, and VPN pass-through support.
Good security and performance make the Cisco Small Business RV042 a good buy at around $135 on Newegg. Dual connections give you the option for load balancing or continuity support.
The Ubiquiti EdgeRouter ER-8 gives you one WAN port and eight LAN ports for about $300. Company literature says it routes up to 2 million packets per second and is rackmountable on a standard rack.
Another low cost option for your SMB is the TP-LINK TL-R860, which you can pick up for just under $30 on Best Buy. IP-based bandwidth control and eight LAN ports make it a strong choice for the price.
The LINKSYS LRT224 is feature-rich, including dual-WAN load balancing, integrated firewall capabilities, and OpenVPN server support. On the low-end, you can find one of these for roughly $195 through Linksys.
If you need lots of ports and good configurability, the Cisco Small Business RV016 is a safe bet. For $300, you get two WAN ports, 13 LAN ports, and one RJ-45 port. Up to seven of those ports can be configured for load balancing or continuity purposes.
Conner is a former Senior Editor for TechRepublic. He is now a Senior Research Analyst at 451 Research.
